HIV-transmission-related risk behavior in HIV+ African American men: Exploring biological, psychological, cognitive, and social factors

Alyssa Arentoft; Kathleen Van Dyk; April D Thames; Nicholas S Thaler; Philip Sayegh; Charles H Hinkin

doi:10.1080/15381501.2016.1166092

HIV-transmission-related risk behavior in HIV+ African American men: Exploring biological, psychological, cognitive, and social factors

J HIV AIDS Soc Serv. 2016;15(3):299-318. doi: 10.1080/15381501.2016.1166092. Epub 2016 Jun 28.

Authors

Alyssa Arentoft¹, Kathleen Van Dyk², April D Thames², Nicholas S Thaler², Philip Sayegh², Charles H Hinkin^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California.
² Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
³ Department of Psychology, West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center, Los Angeles, California.

Abstract

Objectives: To identify factors associated with HIV-transmission-related risk behavior among HIV+ African American men.

Method: We examined biological, psychological, cognitive, and social factors and recent HIV-transmission-related risk behavior (i.e., needle sharing, unprotected sex, exchange sex) among a sample of HIV+ African American men.

Results: A binary logistic regression showed that individuals under age 50 (OR=4.2), with clinically-elevated masochism scores (OR=3.9) on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), current substance abuse/dependence (OR=2.6), and higher sensation-seeking (OR=1.3) were more likely to report recent risk behavior.

Conclusions: Reducing substance use, addressing self-defeating attitudes, and improving self-control may be avenues for future prevention and intervention research among HIV+ African American men engaging in HIV-transmission-related risk behavior.

Keywords: HIV; health disparities; risk behavior; transmission risk.

Abstract

Grants and funding